holy ravioli. it's terroni. (Toronto, On)

Yes, I know that's a ridiculous title for a blog. I told my friend, comedian Peter White I would call it that even though he shook his head and judged me. Take that Peter! In your face!

Terroni is a restaurant on Queen Street West in Toronto. I got introduced to it a long time ago and any time I am in Toronto I try to go there. Sometimes I am too busy or it's too short of a trip to fit it in but not this time. I went with three other comedians and we all loved it. We arrived early. Like, 4:45 early. Only seniors and families with children are out then. Oh, and comedians who have to leave for their show at 6:45 and don't want to be too full while performing... It was really early but a pretty good time to go out for dinner because you never wait for a table and you have the server's full attention because you're his/her only table. It's a good thing we got there that early because by the time we left (6pm) there was a line up that went all the way outside to the sidewalk! That's an indication of a good restaurant. I mean, I love good food but it's hard to wait in line for it. Especially because they don't have a bar to sit at while you wait. You are just standing there kind of awkwardly in the narrow entrance way while the waiter tries to squeeze past you to serve his tables.

Terroni is an Italian restaurant if you couldn't tell from the name. This was my 5th visit or so to Terroni and everytime I go there I have the same thing - Li Pecuri Pizza
Tomato, Mozzarella, Goat Cheese, Sundried Tomatoes, Arugola, Parmigiano Reggiano (16.95)

It's a delicious pizza. I remember the first time I had it, my friend recommended it and I was very skeptical. Arugula? What is that? A type of lettuce? Wait a second. Lettuce on a pizza? Are you sure?
Yes! Arugula on a pizza is so good. It adds a freshness and lightness. Also, it's a thin crust which I love. The tomato sauce they use is homemade and has that authentic Italian taste to it. When things are made from scratch it makes such a difference. The fact that it stands out when restaurants have homemade food is a real indication of how processed and prepared our food is these days and how it's become somewhat acceptable to cut corners. Not at Terroni though! It's not only homemade and fresh but it also has the feel of authenticity. The waiters are -or -look Italian. When I initially called there was a recording and the voice had a thick Italian accent. It's like going to a little mini Italy. I just like that they seem really Italian and I bet you that they order products from Italy. Anyway, it's super Italian guys. I think you get my point.

You might be thinking how does she know what authentic Italian is? Is she Italian with that extremely white skin and red hair? No, but I did have a lot of friends who were Italian growing up. I had dinner over at their houses and the food was unbelievable. It was just simple red sauce and fresh romano cheese that they grated over your dish and meat in the center of the table that was fall off the bone tender.

Anyway, this is turning into a long blog. Can you tell I LOVE Italian food and Italian culture???

I forced myself to try something different.
I had the - Pappardelle alla Iosa 16.95
Sausage, Button & Oyster Mushrooms, Peas, Parmigiano Reggiano, & Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

It was very good. I ate every bite. For my taste I would've liked more moisture to the dish. It was a bit dry for me. And maybe just a bit more of the ingredients. More homemade sausage, more peas (I think there were like 6 peas in the whole thing), more mushrooms. But overall very very good. It's not really that harsh a criticism when you say - "the only problem I had with it is that there wasn't enough of everything". It was so good, I just wanted more. The pasta was cooked perfectly. Oh, and the glass of red wine that the waiter recommended was EXCELLENT. Sorry, I forgot to make note of the name but I can tell you it was a featured wine on their special menu...

Here's a picture of my pasta




My BF had a panini and he loved it. I made him give me a bite. Boys aren't natural sharers. Girls love sharing. It's cliche but true. I gave him a bite of mine. Don't worry. . .
Anyway, this is the panini he had -

Classico 12.95
Prosciutto Pingue, Fresh Tomato, Fior di Latte, Basil, & Arugola

I like prosciutto about 25% of the time that I have it. I think it's the kind of thing that has to be good quality and really fresh. This was definately both because I liked it. It was very good.

Here's a picture of it



Awesome restaurant. A must go if you're in Toronto. And if you like Italian. And if you don't like Italian, whats the matter you? Fungu! (don't know how you spell that)